Klamath Falls, Ore. – The first day of the 2022 CCC Softball Tournament presented by U.S. Bank saw the No. 20 College of Idaho softball team split its two games, defeating No. 6 seed British Columbia by a 6-5 margin and falling to No. 1 seed and host Oregon Tech, 4-0.
Game 1
No. 4 seed / No. 20 College of Idaho defeated No. 5 seed University of British Columbia on Friday, 6-5, in its opening round matchup of the CCC Tournament presented by U.S. Bank on Friday morning.
The Yotes (38-13) were led by three-different home runs – a solo effort by
Haley Loffer in the first; a two-run shot by
Kylie Smith in the third; a three-run blast by
Hattie Hruza in the fifth – to go along with stellar relief pitching by
Hannah McNerney.
The Thunderbirds (20-19) scored three in the first and two more in the second en route to an early 5-1 lead. Avery Hilpert and Mia Valcke each had two hits to lead a nine-hit attack. Valcke also had three RBI and Hilpert scored twice in the loss.
Down 5-1 in the second inning, McNerney entered the game in relief of starter
Katelyn Wilfert and managed to silence the Thunderbird bats as her teammates picked up the offensive fireworks for the comeback.
The senior, who hails from Klamath Falls, pitched the final 5.2 innings allowing two hits and striking out four for the win to raise her record to 14-3. She also had a pair of her hits to lead a seven-hit attack for the Yotes.
Game 2
The nightcap saw the Yotes (38-14) saw host Oregon Tech end a 0-0 contest with four runs in the third inning off
Katelyn Wilfert in a matchup of two first team all-CCC selections in the circle.
College of Idaho was led by a pair of two-hit efforts from
Haley Loffer and
Makenna Luke in the loss.
The Owls, who are ranked No. 4 in the final NAIA regular season poll, were led by a pair of two hit games off the bat of Kennedy Jantzi and Aubrie Businger. Kaila Mick, McKenzie Staub and Businger each had a RBI in the fourth inning for the winning cause.
The Yotes had a scoring opportunity in the sixth inning before Sarah Abramson got a pop out to end the College of Idaho threat.
The loss sends the Yotes to an elimination game against Corban on Saturday at 9 a.m. (PST)/10 a.m. (MT).
